Marked Heart
by XxInsanity With a SmilexX
Summary: Harry finds a goblet with a potion that gives him the ability to telepathically speak with someone he calls None. They don't know each other's identities and he's fine with that, for a while. When he finally meets None he's horrified and shocked, Draco was too. With so many shared secrets they can't exactly return to enemies. That only leaves one other option.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling has that honor.

**Pairing: **DracoXHarry

**Rating:** Mature

**Warnings: **Coarse language, violence, and sexual themes in later chapters.

**Plot Differences: **Umbridge never came. Defense Against the Dark Arts is being taught by Lupin again. Snape never told on Lupin but he had to leave for a year for family business. The fake Moody got found out before he could switch the Cup so Harry and Cedric tied evenly and they split the cash. Harry still gave his portion to Fred and George so their joke shop is still on. Voldemort hasn't come back and The Order of the Phoenix hasn't been revived. It's a 'regular' fifth year.

**CHAPTER ONE**

He wasn't exactly sure why he was still awake. Beside him he could hear Ron snoring in harmony with Neville. His messy dark brown hair wasn't covering his face so his scar was showing in the dim light. It marked the day he survived when his family died. That wasn't what was keeping him up though. Lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling, a million thoughts were swarming through his head. It was his first day back. Even though it was nearly midnight he couldn't help but enjoy the sensation. Normally that would only keep him up till ten or eleven. Tonight was different.

Earlier on the train, he had found a strange cup. It was just lying in the corridor as everyone was leaving. Nobody took any notice of it. He had picked it up and looked it over. An odd symbol on the side was what made him keep it. To him, it looked like a phoenix taking flight. It reeked of magic.

It was roughly the size of his hands cupped, and reminded him of The Goblet of Fire, only it was less ancient looking, and a bit smaller. The craftsmanship was plain and simple. Harry expected to see it somewhere in a rather poor person's home. It was made of smooth grey stone, and had a few scratches. He wanted to look at it one more time before he slept.

He sat up and pulled the cup out of his trunk. It was freezing cold. Once again he found the mark, and rubbed his thumb over it. Suddenly pain lanced through his hand, causing him to drop the cup. It made no noise as it hit his sheets. Harry bit his lip, waiting as the feeling subsided. Breathing heavily through his nose, he examined his finger. There was a small cut across his thumb that bled slowly. The wound was barely any worse than a paper cut.

The pain of that level made no sense, but as he watched the bleeding clot he could tell it wasn't serious. As he picked the cup back up, Harry noticed the phoenix had disappeared. Another difference was the temperature. The chilling sub-zero it had been was replaced with toasty warmth; as if someone had left it sitting near a fireplace. _Body temperature_, he thought, turning it over in his hands.

Harry froze, staring into the mouth of the cup. What used to be empty now looked like a mirror, a liquid mirror. It sloshed around like water, but didn't spill. He'd seen enough things in his four years at Hogwarts to not be too surprised. It was his sudden urge to _drink_ _it_ that bothered him. He hesitated for a few seconds before sipping it, as stupid he knew it was.

The liquid was ice cold but, he barely noticed. _How did you find this?_ The words rang through his head, clear as a bell. They weren't presented in a voice; it was like information was directly planted in him, lots of information.

His crystal green eyes widened as knowledge flowed into his brain. The potion seemed to be showing him a user manual. He squeezed his eyes shut as the stream increased, and his head started to ache. It didn't exactly hurt; it was more of an unpleasant tension. He wasn't told where it came from, but it did tell him what it could be used for; a mental link. Sipping it, how much you drank lengthened the connection, would allow Harry to communicate telepathically with whoever else drank the potion. Now they were connected.

_I found it on the train,___he thought tentatively, _Are you the owner?_

It took a few seconds before the voice replied. _Yes. It was a gift from my mother. I was supposed to use it to speak with a close friend. _Even though it was just a thought, Harry could feel annoyance in its 'voice'.

_I'm sorry. Is there somewhere you'd like me to leave it so you can have it back?_ In a way, it was just like speaking, just without the talking part.

_No. You've bound it to you. I don't know how to break it, so for now we're connected. If I find a way, I'll contact you. _The connection broke off. Harry blinked in surprise, he hadn't realized how focused on it he was. Ron's snores had become much louder, and he was suddenly conscious of staring at the ceiling. It was unnerving.

Yawning, Harry placed the goblet back in his trunk and lay back down. _It really is late._ He crawled under the sheets and closed his eyes. Images of Ron, Hermione, and Sirius flickered behind his eyelids. Spending the summer with his godfather had been fun. As he relaxed, his breathing deepened and his thoughts became more vivid.

He was riding high above the clouds on a broom made of light. All too soon, the dream morphed into him hanging out with Ron and Hermione in the Chamber of Secrets. It smelled like roses down there for some reason. A giant serpent rose up and they danced. The world began to crack though, and the color ebbed away. Something was ripping in his chest, he couldn't breathe. When his mind started to wake up the dream slipped away. The only thing remaining was a sour taste in his mouth.

"Get up!" Someone was shaking him.

Harry mumbled and tried to roll over. The hands wouldn't let up, so he opened his eyes. Two blue eyes were staring down at him. They scrunched up as a freckled face broke into a wide grin.

"What were you dreaming about Harry? You kept muttering about flowers," Ron said, stepping back as he sat up.

Harry tried to rub his eyes before realizing he fell asleep with his glasses on, "I don't remember." He stifled a yawn before tacking on, "How long did I sleep in?"

His nose hurt from where his glasses dug in, so he took them off. They weren't bent, but he rubbed them with the hem of his shirt to clean off smudges. Putting the glasses back on, he looked around the room. Dean and Seamus had already gone down to the Great Hall. Neville was pant-less and digging through his trunk looking desperate. He had an uncanny knack for losing everything he touched.

"It took me five minutes to wake you up. What were you up to last night?" Ron asked.

He stared at his best friend. His red hair was a bit shaggier, he'd gotten a bit taller, and a slightly thinner. The red hair was a trait all Weasleys had. They were his only family, even though they weren't blood related. Harry couldn't understand why he didn't want to tell Ron, who was as close as a brother, about the goblet.

"Just thinking."

"Huh." Ron hummed a little tune under his breath while Harry finished getting dressed.

Already ten minutes late, they hurried down to the Great Hall. Ignoring the usual jeers of the Slytherins, they made their way to the Gryffindor table. Hermione's brown bushy hair was obvious among the students. They slid onto the bench beside her where she was reading the Daily Prophet.

Her skin still was pale, although it might have gotten a bit darker over the summer. She had brown eyes that were usually focused on something. Until last year, she had also had slight buck teeth, but thanks to a bit of luck she was able to shrink them. Harry had always found her pretty in a sister way, and it made her look even better. She had never gotten much attention from boys though, until the famous Seeker Viktor Krum asked her to the Yule Ball.

"Any'ing in'es'in'?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs.

"Nothing," she replied, looking disgusted.

Ron didn't seem to notice. Harry began eating his own eggs and bacon. As usual, the cooking was superb. The three friends talked about their summers. Hermione's family had taken a vacation to Paris when her father got a raise. She seemed to have enjoyed it a lot.

"You should have seen Crookshanks when we saw a mime. He absolutely loathed them." She giggled.

"What's a mime?" Ron asked, "Aren't they those crazy Muggles who wander around with white faces?"

Harry snorted at his description. "Pretty much. They don't talk, and they pretend to walk down invisible stairs, and do other weird stuff."

"You're joking. Muggles actually do that?" Ron looked disbelieving between them, "Wow."

"It's not that surprising," Hermione said, once again flipping through the newspaper, "Some people swallow swords, and eat fire."

The rest of the conversation consisted of Harry and Hermione convincing Ron of all the crazy things Muggles did in place of magic. When breakfast ended, the trio made their way to History of Magic. For the first twenty minutes, Harry and Ron enjoyed their usual resting time. They could rely on Hermione to keep notes for them. Professor Binns' voice was the greatest sleeping potion ever invented, so they didn't really have a choice.

Roughly thirty minutes in, Harry started getting thirsty. It wasn't normal thirsty either; he just really needed to drink something. Shifting his weight a bit, Harry felt something in his robes. Glancing around, he repositioned his head so he was looking under the desk. Slowly, he pulled the goblet out of his pocket. _How did it get in there? I left it in my trunk_, he thought uneasily. Whoever owned the other goblet must want to speak with him.

Once again checking the coast, everyone was either sleeping or day dreaming, he drank a mouthful. After that, he put the goblet back in his pocket.

_What are you doing right now?_ The voice drifted lazily across.

_I'm in class, _he replied, trying not to whisper.

_You too huh? So you _are_ a Hogwarts student._

_Yeah. _The person seemed pretty relaxed. Harry was surprised; after last night, he figured they'd be mad at him. He did accidentally 'steal' their goblet. It was probably pretty rare too. He'd never heard of anything like it.

_I'm bored, _they said bluntly,_ Do you like Quidditch?_

_Yeah. I play- _he paused, he didn't know who this was. It was probably best not to give away his identity. _I like to play Seeker._ He finished lamely.

_I play Seeker as well. I'm actually the Seeker for my team. I've known how to fly from before I could barely walk._

_I was raised with Muggles._

_So you're a- you're not a wizard?_

_My parents were. I just wasn't raised by wizards. _

_Are you pureblood?_

_No, why? _Harry couldn't help but lace a bit of warning in. If this was some Slytherin with their head up their ass, he'd throw the goblet into the lake.

_I'm a pureblood. I was just curious._

_Oh. So where did you get these goblets? I've never heard of them before._ He aimed to change the subject.

_Some sort of family heirloom I guess._

_Is your family rich then?_

_What pureblood family isn't? It's a pain in the ass you know. Being pureblood just means loads of wealth and loads of stuck up people. Dinner alone is a mess. Get up, sit down, get up, toast, sit down, small talk, it goes on and on. There are so many formalities and you can't even choose who you marry. _Their mini rant finished on a sour note.

Harry was surprised at the anger in their voice. He hadn't really thought of rich people's issues. Thinking about it, he could see it was true. Sirius was a prime example. His blood was as pure as the rest, but he hated his family. You can't choose your blood status, after all.

_It sounds shitty._ Harry thought, staring at his blank paper.

_It is, but I don't need your pity. Anyways, you said you liked playing Seeker. Do you keep up to date with the international teams?_

_A bit. I've been to the World Cup. Last year I went with some friends._

_The ending was pretty surprising wasn't it? I mean, Krum is brilliant, but I didn't know the Bulgarian team was so horrible._

_It's more like the Irish had seven brilliant guys._

_I guess so. My father got us Top Box seats._

Something prickled the back of Harry's memory, but he ignored it. That sentence was uncannily familiar.

_We also watched from the Top Box. _

_It was interesting seeing the players up close. It'd be great to be an international Seeker._

_Yeah, is that your goal?_

They were silent for a while after that. Harry wondered if he offended them or 'him' as he was starting to think. They didn't sound like a girl at all. He knew he hadn't cut the connection though because it was still there. He could sense it like a fly buzzing in his ear. It was distracting, in a good way. Glancing at the clock, Harry saw that class was nearly over.

_No._ They answered after a minute of silence. _My father wants grander things of me._

_What's grander than playing Quidditch on an International scale?_

_Carrying on the family business._

_What's that?_

_You don't need to know my fucking life story. It's none of your business._ He snapped, startling Harry.

_Sorry. I didn't mean to cross a line. No need to get pissy at me._

_I just- fucking hell. Never mind, I'm just tired. I don't even know why I'm talking to you._

_I stole your magic cup remember?_

_It's a goblet and a family heirloom. Not a "magic cup"._

_What's the difference?_

_I honestly don't know. _Harry felt like their voice was smiling a teensy bit.

_So what class do you have?_

_Charms. What about you?_

_I have History._

_Binns huh? That ghost is boring to the point where it's painful._

_Yeah. If I wasn't talking to you right now I'd be fast asleep._

_Why _are_ you talking to me?_

_Same as you; bored._

They were both silent. Harry glanced at the clock again. Less than five minutes were left in class. He had a feeling the guy on the other end was doing the same.

_You're not half bad for a magic cup thief._ They said, their attention back on the conversation.

_I'll take that as a compliment._

_Class is about to end. We can talk later._

_Alright. _

The connection ended, and a few minutes later Professor Binns dismissed them. Harry got up, feeling a bit sore from staying in one position for too long. His legs had fallen asleep, and it was hard not to jump when the "pins and needles" feeling started. Stretching, he turned to a drowsy Ron, and slightly sleepy Hermione.

"You were focused this class," She said absently as she put her notes in one of her many binders.

"I was daydreaming," He yawned, "You awake yet Ron?"

"If I say no, will you let me sleep another five minutes?" He mumbled.

"No," Hermione pulled on his arm, "Let's go."

The next class passed surprisingly quickly. For lunch, they headed to the Great Hall. Harry couldn't stop thinking about the goblet person. They seemed a bit arrogant, but they weren't that bad. He wondered if he knew them in real life. They probably weren't from Gryffindor though, which did raise a sticky question.

He ate slowly as he surveyed the Great Hall. The Ravenclaws were arrogant for sure, although they did have the brains to back it. He was still a bit surprised that Hermione wasn't one. She was a genius, although she was also one of the bravest girls he knew. The Hufflepuffs were quiet students he didn't know much about. He only really knew Cedric, and they hadn't spoken since they tied the Triwizard Tournament. That meant there were only two House candidates; Ravenclaw or Slytherin

Harry cringed, thinking of the latter. What if he was actually talking to Blaise or Malfoy, one of their crew? Although, it was a bit stupid to profile by house. There were plenty arrogant Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. He poked at his stew, deep in thought.

"Are you alright?" Ron prodded him with the handle of his spoon, "Harry, you there?"

"Hm? Yeah sorry, I was spacing out a bit," He shoved his spoon back at him.

Hermione looked up from over her Ancient Runes book, "You've been doing that all morning. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," He said, not completely sure why he wasn't telling them what he was up to.

"Do you think they'll assign loads today? I've already read the book twice so I _think _I understand the concepts . . ." She trailed off as she flipped the pages.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Ron asked, "It's the second day back."

"OWLs!" She snapped, "OWLs have 'my panties in a twist'. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I actually care about my grades!"

Ron gave Harry an alarmed look before saying, "Well they're at the end of the year, so it's not that big a deal."

"Yeah," Harry pitched in helpfully, "I mean, you have over eight months to prepare."

"It is!" She glared at both of them. "It's a huge deal. These grades will affect my entire career."

After that cheerful statement, she went back to her book and refused to speak to them. It suited them both fine. Talking about school work wasn't important. Right now, the real questions was "How would this year's House Cup go?"

"We'd better win," Ron said, helping himself to a second serving, "I mean, the last few years you've been having a bad run of luck; always little things that messed you up. This year we need a win. The Quidditch Cup and the House Cup."

"I think Ms. McGonagall would go mad if we lost again." Harry said.

"Doesn't matter, Angela would become a homicidal nut before she could do anything. She'd probably curse the entire team before doing herself in."

He laughed at the all too real possibility, "Yeah, I wouldn't put it past her."

Ron raised his spoon threateningly, "You better win then."

"I'll try."

"Asides from having Angela kill us," He finished his soup and burped loudly, "I couldn't stand the Slytherins strutting around for another year. They lie and cheat their way to the top. If Malfoy's dad wasn't backing them they'd fall flat on their faces."

He glanced at a familiar blonde across the room, "What do you expect? They're snakes."

**A/N** I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. I'll be updating every weekend. If I have a lot of homework, I might end up posting Monday morning. Any suggestions for plot are appreciated although I do have enough for a solid 20 chapters or so planned out. If you have any questions, mention them in a review or PM me. This is the first chapter so I'm testing the waters, all feedback is greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

_That move was pretty mad, wasn't it? I mean there's the risk of becoming a blood splat on the ground. Personally I think it makes it more exciting but not everyone thinks like that._

Harry nodded before remembering they couldn't see him. _Yeah, I agree. Hey, are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend? _

_Maybe, why?_

He had to focus for a few seconds because Ron was giving him a funny look.

It'd been a month since he started talking to the stranger. They'd talked about plenty of things and he'd learnt a few things about him. One; he _was_ a male. Two; he was addicted to Quidditch. The third was something they both shared; he hated his family. It had only been mentioned once, but Harry got the message. It was a touchy subject though so he didn't bring it up again.

_No reason. _None replied, _I was just wondering what year you're in._

_Fifth. What about you?_

_Same._

That pretty much ended that topic. Neither of them were too keen on revealing their identities or Houses.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked, nudging him with his elbow.

"Yeah, did you get your Potions work done yet?"

As they walked to the field they both enjoyed bashing Snape. He also was holding a conversation with None -he had given the mental link guy the nickname- so it wasn't surprising he rammed into someone. He grunted softly in surprise and nearly lost his footing. Glancing at them, he saw it was Draco Malfoy.

"Going for a stroll with your boyfriend Potter?" Malfoy taunted after recovering.

His goons laughed behind him. Like usual his entourage consisted of Pansy, Goyle, Crabbe, and Blaise. They followed him around like really stupid, ugly puppies. Harry glared at them in turn before focusing on Malfoy.

"No, the weather is great so we decided to relax by the lake. You should come, your cronies can practice CPR when I throw you in." He grinned, and Ron clapped him on the back as they started to walk again.

"What, you've gone mute Weasel?" He called, changing tactics.

Harry tensed, seeing Ron's ears go red; that was never a good sign. He turned back to face the blond so Harry stopped and turned with him. This was going to get messy if they hung around. Crabbe and Goyle were huge and Draco was halfway decent at magic, although he'd never admit it. Silently, he placed his fingers on his wand.

Sounding more or less calm, Ron said, "No, but I'll go blind if you don't get your ugly face fixed."

Students nearby went silent so Harry's startled laugh rang through the hall. Instantly he regretted it from the look on Malfoy's face. He grabbed his best friend's arm and began to take their leave. Behind him he had a seconds warning as someone advanced. He spun around but was too late. Draco's hands grabbed the front of his cloak, holding him in place. There was real menace in his eyes.

"Watch your fucking step Potter. You should have accepted my offer all those years ago," He whispered, his face inches away.

Harry felt a shiver of fear go through him, those cold grey eyes said he was serious. This close he couldn't help but see the smaller details. He actually had a very straight and narrow nose and very long pale eyelashes. He had platinum blonde hair that was usually slicked back, but some of it fell over his eye. His jaw was strong but had an angular look to it. Even angry, he was surprisingly attractive.

Annoyed at his sudden insanity -afterall Malfoy was an asshole- he shoved him away. Their bare hands brushed for a second. Again the same stabbing pain went through him that had happened when he touched the cup. From the look on Malfoy's face he felt it too. He pulled away and clutched his aching hand to his chest.

"Are you okay? What the fuck did you do to him?!" Ron pulled out his wand.

Pale, Draco shook his head, "Nothing! That idiot did it to himself and me. What magic was that?!"

Harry winced as the stabbing feeling drained away leaving his hand numb. What the hell was that? _Maybe there was some sort of reaction to my anger?_ Even inside his head, it sounded more like a question. He shot a look at Draco and saw he looked shaken. Pansy was busy simpering over him though and he regained his composure before Harry could ask any questions.

"Come on, what was it? A stupid ass curse you freak? Gonna scare us away by zapping my hand" Draco snarled, drawing his own wand.

"It wasn't me and you fucking know it. What did _you_ do?!" He drew his own wand.

Harry, Ron, and Draco all had their wands out now and Malfoy's little entourage was quick to follow suit. Pansy and Goyle had their wands trained on Harry while Crabbe and Blaise had theirs on Ron. He ignored them completely. They were horrible shots even at close range.

"I didn't do anything to you and you've wasted ten minutes of my time," He said coolly, "Now we're leaving."

"Why?" Ron hissed in his ear, "We can take them."

"Hermione won't help us with our History lessons if we stand her up," He hissed back, "Besides, my wand hand hurts like a bitch."

"Whatever, crawl back into your hovel like Weasels." Pansy shrieked with laughter at Draco's comeback.

"Let it go," Harry muttered, putting a hand on Ron's shoulder as they walked away.

When they were finally outside, they headed towards the lake where Hermione was sitting. She impatiently gestured for them to sit down. Crookshanks was running around chasing bugs. It was warm and the sky was a cloudless blue. It made him want to fly. Still, he walked through the lush green grass to where she was sitting. In her hands was a textbook of some sort.

"Crookshanks is practicing his hunting," She explained when they sat down.

"He might run away," Ron said, looking hopeful at the prospect. He hadn't really forgiven the cat. Even though Scabbers was secretly a stupid Death Eater named Peter, the resentment stuck.

"Doubt it," He jabbed a thumb towards the orange furball, "He sticks to Hermione like glue."

Her cheeks turned pink, she loved that cat, "He's my baby. Anyways what took you guys so long?"

"Think slimy and blonde," Ron said darkly.

"Malfoy was giving you trouble again?" She put her book down, "So?"

"So what?" Ron asked in confusion.

"What went down?"

"His usual bitching," Harry replied, "Although he electrocuted me."

He held out his hand for her to examin. Her brows creased as she stared at his hand, "When did you get a tattoo?"

"What?" He pulled his hand back in alarm.

On the back of his hand there was a black image. It was the phoenix he had seen on the goblet. Frantically he rubbed the skin. It didn't come off. A shard of doubt seemed to be lodged in his gut. Did that mean None was Draco? He couldn't even fathom the idea after having spoken with him for so long. They were friends! They had a bond he'd never have with that wizard nazi.

"I never got one," He held it up for Ron to see, "The spell he did to zap me must have left it behind.:"

Hermione looked worried, "Spells that leave something behind are usually a curse . . ."

She mumbled under her breath as she rooted through her backpack. It was amazing what she could fit in the thing. He bet she was using magic on it. With a cry of victory, she yanked out a surprisingly small, slim book. It had a faded navy blue cover and yellowing pages. They were sitting close enough that he could smell the scent of dust and wood, most old books seemed to have. It reminded him of the Hogwarts library, the habitat she was indigenous to. Maybe she had gotten it from there.

"All recorded curse marks in history," She said proudly, "I bet we can find your mark in here."

He took on of the duplicates she made and started flipping through. Death Marks, Pestilence Symbols, Unlucky Brands, Beggars' Crest, none of them fit his description. When he was done with the fatal ones, Hermione had already gone through most of the marks.

"None of them," She undid the spell and their books disappeared, "It isn't a curse mark that's ever been recorded."

"Maybe it isn't a curse mark," Ron said, looking irritated to have spent his break reading.

"Yeah _maybe_," He agreed.

It was time for their next class though, so they packed up and started up the lawn. He paid a bit of attention to their speculation, but the second they were distracted he, drank two big mouthfuls of the potion. For a second he thought Hermione might have noticed him put the goblet away, but if she did, she didn't say anything.

_None, you there?_

_Alpha to Bravo, requesting conversation._

He mentally snorted, _Roger that. Do you know anything about Curse Marks?_

_Why, you gonna curse someone?_

_No! Hell no! _

_Shame, I can show you how to do a pretty nasty Death Mark. _

_Ha ha, funny. You have a sick fucking sense of humor._

_You can think it was a joke if it makes you feel better. Anyways, why do you need to know?_

_Nevermind. _If it was Draco, it'd give him away instantly.

_Okay, weirdo. I'll point them your way when someone ends up with a strange hopping curse. _None paused, _Have you been getting mail from your folks?_

_No. They hate my guts. I'm lucky to get a quarter for Christmas, I'm not worth the postal fees to check up on._

_I can understand how that feels. My parents are full of expectations. My friends think I'm getting praise and reward. I wish. It's always "fly faster", "get better grades", "you're disappointing me son"._

_Some fucking people . . .._

_Look on the bright side; if someone kidnaps us, they'll have to kill us or let us go because we'd be useless._

_I don't see how that's the bright side._

_Pessimist._

_Psycho._

_Psychotically sexy. _He could tell he was wiggling their eyebrows. It was hard not to laugh out loud,

_Sure._

_You know you'd fall in love with me. Even my mental voice is sexy. I'm dripping with good looks._

_Okay Mr. Ego. Anyways I'm at class so we can talk later._

_CALL ME!_

He snorted out loud as the mental connection cut. None was a sarcastic ball of ego that had an inner serial killer. The guy said some things that made him wonder. Like that Death Mark thing, he was pretty sarcastic but he wasn't so sure it was a joke. He made him laugh though so he didn't dwell on it too much. Talking about the Dursleys usually put him in a bad mood but now he was smiling inside. Not on the outside, Hermione and Ron were already looking at him like he was mad.

By the end of the day he was pretty convinced the tattoo was just a side effect of the mental link. The chances of Draco having anything to do with it were so slim it wasn't realistic. As he, Ron, and Hermione were walking to the Gryffindor tower, he stopped to go to the washroom.

When he was putting his merchandise away, he heard some banging and yelling from the hall. Listening closely, he heard laughing among the shouts and giggles. Someone shot a spell at the door making the room tremor. Angry and surprised, he opened the left the urinal and darted across the room to pull on the silver handle. It didn't budge. Frustrated he kicked the door. It looked like oak so a good Incinerating spell should do it. Or something to catch it on fire. Hogwarts was mostly made up of marble and stone, the washroom was no exception. Nothing should go wrong.

"What the _hell _are you doing in here?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

"Malfoy?" Harry turned and stared at the glaring blonde.

"Who the fuck is outside?" He asked.

"What, no shitty insult?"

He gave him a long look filled with annoyance, "I came here to piss, not fuck around with you."

"No cronies to back you up so suddenly you're not so big huh?" His anger was boiling over for no reason but he didn't care.

Draco stepped into his personal space -he hadn't realized he was taller than him- and leaned in, staring him in the eye, "No, now I have nobody to hold me back and I'm fifty fucking kinds of crazy. So back off so I can go back and catch some fucking shut eye. I rather not sleep in a public washroom with you."

He stepped away, angry, but surprised, "Then by all means, get us out."

Draco brushed past him to inspect the door while drawing his wand. He muttered a spell under his breath and tapped the wood. Nothing happened when he tried to open it. Swearing under his breath, he tried a different spell. It had the same results.

"Fuck it," He turned towards Harry, "Back up and cover your eyes."

It was probably best not to question judging from the look in his eyes, so he complied silently. A second too late he wondered if closing his eyes around his arch enemy was a bright idea. An explosion shook the room and he uncovered his eyes so he wouldn't lose his balance. He stumbled into the wall and turned around. The door had been blown up. It's remains were slivers and chunks of wood scattering the room and hall. A thin layer of dust filled the room, it must have messed up some of the stone too.

"Come on!" Draco grabbed him and dragged him into the hall, "Filch will be here any second and I'm not leaving you to squeal on me."

"I'm not a snitch," He muttered as they ran, "Thanks."

He almost tripped, "What?"

His face turned red, "I said fucking thanks!"

Draco stared at him for a second, "Okay."

It was a lot more than he expected, typical Draco Malfoy would have made fun of him. For once he didn't want to rip off his head. Maybe that he could be considered to be progress. He probably found it hard to be an asshole 24/7 so this was a lapse of sanity. Harry decided he liked the insane Draco a lot better, even if he was still a dick.

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**A/N **I'll admit I'm a bit saddened by the lack of a response I got. Either way I'm still grateful for everyone who followed. It's starting off slow but it will pick up speed. My beta was busy this week so if you notice any grammar errors, feel free to point them out.

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**Remember to follow, fav, or review to show support. New chapters every Sunday and PM me any questions you have.**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

When he got back to the Gryffindor dormitory he couldn't sleep again. The dominating thought in his head was Draco. He'd never seen him as anything but King Snake. now he was having second thoughts. He could have just left him. A miniscule part of him wondered what he was really like. Turning over, he tried to get his brain to shut up. He could think about it later.

That morning he was quick to eat breakfast and was tapping his foot under the table the entire time. None had agreed to meet up. He had become a mess of anxiety, excitement, and curiosity. It was a Saturday so they could go to Hogsmeade. He'd planned to go with Ron and Hermione already, None would be meeting him in the Shrieking Shack. It wouldn't be difficult to slip away.

"Are you going to eat that?" Dean Thomas asked, stealing the rest of the beef soup.

"Nah," He replied, "Try the french toast too."

His dark skinned friend grinned and began wolfing down the soup. Dean was a half blood like him. His eyes were a cinnamon brown and he had dark brown hair. Even though he was 16 like Harry, he was starting to bulk out. It looked good on him.

He was one of Harry's closer group of friends. Not as close as Hermione or Ron, but still a good friend. They'd been sharing the same room for too long to be enemies. Granted, they had some fights, but all friends do. He passed him the plate of golden brown french toast as it came around.

Hermione insisted getting a head start on their homework before they left. Grudgingly, he agreed and they headed to the library. Not many kids were in there; everyone was at Hogsmeade. He pulled out his essay for Charms and placed it on the table. It consisted of three words "Charms are essential" which was what they were writing about.

"Really Harry?" Hermione said, staring at his paper, "That's due on Monday."

"I figured I could put it off till the weekend," He admitted sheepishly.

Ron patted him on the back, "Don't worry man, I have your back. I forgot it existed."

Harry chuckled and took his paper back. He was about a paragraph through before he realized he had no clue what he was writing about. When the hell did they learn this stuff? Between talking with Ron and None he hadn't really payed attention in class. Glancing at his redheaded friend's sheet he could tell he was having similar difficulties.

"Hey Hermione," He poked her lightly, she was working on her two page essay, "You're almost done and Ron and I," His friend nodded enthusiastically, "Could use your expert help."

She gave him a withering, but slightly amused glance, and took their sheets. It took her about half a minute to conclude they were idiots. She seemed to enjoy telling them they'd be failing their OWLs if they didn't step it up. He knew she was right but they were months away. Like Ron had said; they had plenty of time. Hermione agreed to help in the end but only because they'd waste the day if she let them work on it. He was happy to play the idiot card if it meant more time in the magic village near Hogwarts.

"You're a lifesaver Hermione," Ron said when he got his essay back.

"It was nothing," She said smugly, "Now lets get going. I need to get some more ink."

"Hey guys, I have something to do later, do you mind if we split up at two?" Harry injected as they left the library.

"Are you meeting your imaginary girlfriend?" Ron teased.

"I don't have a girlfriend and if I did she wouldn't be imaginary." He shoved him.

"Speaking of girlfriends, did you hear that Pansy has finally stopped sniffing around Malfoy?" Hermione said.

Ron glared ahead, "So what? Who cares about them?"

She didn't change expressions, "Just thought I'd mention it. Pansy calming down is the equivalent of Hell freezing over."

"Hey guys, lower it. Here come Filch.," Harry muttered, glaring at the trollish man who was approaching them. Ever since Fake Moody the searching to go in and out of Hogwarts was a lot more strict. The bastard couldn't be enjoying it more. Once he was done, and they were considerably more sore, they stepped out of the school.

The sky was a blanket of clouds this morning and there was a slight breeze. A lot of students walked down the lane in groups of two or three. Despite the weather, everyone was interested in visiting the village. Before he met up with None, he was planning to spend some time in Zonko's Joke Shop or Honeydukes. Apparently there was a new chocolate there that could make you cozily warm with just one bite.

"Do you think its going to rain?" Hermione asked, giving the sky a worried look.

"I don't think so," Ron said, "And it doesn't matter anyway. You're a witch aren't you? Just cast some sort of charm."

She just made an annoyed noise at him and continued walking. Even though it was overcast, he actually enjoyed the walk. As they passed a group he noticed a familiar Irishman. It was Seamus Finnigan, another Gryffindor in his year. His best friend Dean wasn't with him though. He was walking in a subdued manner; shoulders hunched and head down.

It was unusual considering he usually had a bit of a strut. Like all confident guys, he had a certain swagger about him. His hair was brown, cut short, and he had steely blue eyes. They always seemed warm though with his accustomed grin. It made him seem approachable, friendly, and very attractive. A different sort from Draco's ice sculpture features.

They stayed relatively close as they entered the village so he kept an eye on him. He was starting to make him feel a bit nervous. What if he was in trouble? There was a certain level of fondness he held for him. When Ron was busy, he was great to hang out with. Hermione had to rap him on the head before he realized they were talking to him. Guiltily, he looked away to focus on his best friends.

"What? Sorry, I thought I saw . . . someone," Seamus didn't exactly look like he wanted people knowing he was there. Harry had no reason to blow his cover.

"Honeydukes or Zonko's?" Ron asked impatiently.

"Honeydukes I guess, we can go to Zonko's next," He said.

When he looked through the throngs of students, Seamus was gone. It bothered him for a while and still nagged as they entered the packed sweets shop. The flip in his demeanour had been disturbing and there was something weird in his gut. A small part of him was shouting to hang out with his fellow Gryffindor more often. People don't just go from happy and cheerful to secretive overnight. For a second his thoughts flashed to Voldemort but it seemed too improbable.

As he ended up by some whistling toffees he elbowed Ron, "Have you ever heard of a potion that grants telepathy?"

Even he was surprised by his question, and his buddy looked confused before answering, "No. It'd be cool though wouldn't it?"

Thinking about Seamus keeping secrets made him realize he didn't want to be that person; the guy who holds everything to his chest. Besides, Ron was his metaphorical brother. They were two peas in a pod, a package deal. You mess with one, you mess with the other. There was no point in keeping his telepathic conversations from him. Hermione would be too nosy so he couldn't tell her, but Ron wasn't the type to go poking in other people's business. It wasn't like it was hurting him.

"I need to tell you something," He whispered, moving closer.

Ron gave him a curious look and nodded, "What's up?"

Harry didn't really know where to start so he just chose the beginning, "The night we got back I found a goblet filled with some potion. It gave me the ability to speak telepathically with whoever had the matching cup. We've been talking for months. I call him None," His words tumbled out, relieved to finally be free, "He's into Quidditch big time and wants to be an international Seeker. He's pureblood but doesn't like his family. I think he's like Sirius. Maybe you'd like him. We sorta agreed to not give up our identities but I feel like I know him as a friend so we agreed to meet up. That's what I'm doing this afternoon before we meet up at The Three Broomsticks. I'm sorry for not telling you but I wasn't sure if I was just imagining it."

He looked winded at the information. It had been sort of unexpected and probably was a lot to have thrusted onto him. In retrospect he probably should have told him slowly. Harry watched anxiously as his expressions morphed from confusion to annoyance, to something that looked like betrayal. It was betrayal or appreciation at being told. He was hoping for the latter.

"Wow, man. I don't even know what to say . . . you . . .. Um, why did you just drink some potion?" Ron had a weirdly logical way of prioritizing things.

That reminded him of the phoenix tattoo, "It sorta called to me. But look!" He held up his hand, the tattoo in clear sight, "I think I got this from the connection. I'm thinking it appears after a certain amount of time using the potion. Like a side effect."

"That makes sense." He muttered, then glanced over his shoulder, "Have you told Hermione?"

"I think her _curiosity_ would probably drive her to ruin it," His words were chosen carefully, "Remember when Sirius sent me my Firebolt? She nearly got it destroyed. I'll tell her after I know who it is."

"Yeah, but are you sure you can trust this guy? He could be a Death Eater."

That thought had occurred to him. It was still poking at the back of his conscious, needling him with a small warning voice. He overrode it though, if None was a Death Eater he wouldn't have needed to draw it out for months. Also last he heard, Voldemort wasn't recruiting students. If Dumbledore's "sources" were correct, then the capture of Junior Barty had put his resurrection back a few years, hopefully.

"I'm sure; I would've noticed. The telepathy thing is different. It's hard to lie. At least on the spot," He said, "Anyways Hermione is going to get suspicious. You want one of these?"

Ron stared at the whistling candies for a second, "Not really. We're meeting at the pub in an hour. Be back by then."

He mouthed a silent 'thanks' as the crowd swept him out the door. It was colder so he hurried up the road. The Shrieking Shack was under the Whomping Willow so nobody would be around. He brought his Invisibility Cloak just incase. As he was passing The Three Broomsticks he noticed Seamus ducking inside. His expression was looking green. It only took him a millisecond to make up his mind to follow. He had time.

Inside the bar it was jam packed. It had dim lighting and several clusteres of tables. He culd just barely see the bar. At first he had to scan the crowd but spotted him near some goblins. He worked his way through the people. sticking on his tail. Even though it was none of his business he just wanted to make sure he was okay. Seamus slipped into the men's washroom and he quickly followed.

"What are you doing Harry?" He asked, turning around.

"Are you okay? You look sick and worried," He said, trying to not look guilty for following him.

"It's none of your business."

"Is someone blackmailing you? I cou-"

"NO!" He interrupted, "It's not some stupid Death Eater if that's what you're thinking. It's . . ."

He trailed off looking tormented.

"Well what's wrong? Did something happen to you? To Dean?"

From the look on his face, Harry knew he must have been right about something. Seamus shifted around and stared at his hands. He looked really tired.

"I'm gay Harry. Dean doesn't fucking know and I don't know how to tell him."

Well . . . he hadn't expected that. His theories about Death Eaters and blackmailing flew out the window. Seamus was gay? He gave him a closer look; he didn't have that girly look most gays had. It was probably stereotyping but he had only met a gay person once and that was two years ago. Dudley had been bullying him. The idea didn't really bother him, it did make him feel a bit unsteady. Liking guys? Did that mean he found them attractive? You can appreciate someone's beauty without being gay right?

"Oh." His expression was probably a bit too surprised, "You're gay?!"

Seamus laugh was brittle, "Yeah. Do you know how they treat gay in the wizard community? Have you ever met a gay wizard?"

"No," His stomach tightened, "Do your folks know?"

"Me mam does," He pointed to a small scar on his eyebrow, "I got this when her boyfriend found out. She dumped him, but it's my fault."

Harry just stared, horrified. He didn't know what to say. The charming smile Seamus always had was nowhere in sight. Someone so happy being so sad made him want to puke. The wizarding community had it's faults, but to hate gays? It felt wrong. He imagined it was mostly the older families, purebloods.

"It's not your fault," He hugged him, it was spontaneous, but he hoped it helped, "You're gonna be okay man. I promise. If you need someone to back you up when you tell Dean I'll be there for you."

Seamus was stiff at the sudden contact but softened a bit, "Thanks Harry."

"Anytime. but I really have to go. Make sure you tell Dean," He pulled away.

"Where're you headed to?"

"Meeting up with a friend." He said as he stepped out of the room. "We're talking about this later okay?"

"Ya."

This time he quickly maneuvered the crowd and was down the road to the Shrieking Shack in what seemed like no time at all. Each step became a stride with some spring to it. He was finally meeting None! His excitement wound up tighter and tighter so he moved faster. One of the first things he wanted to do was play Quidditch with them. Then they could go swimming in the lake. Ever since last year with the merpeople he gained a new respect for it. If they got bored they could explore the Forbidden Forest or ask Fred and George what they're up to. That was guaranteed to be interesting.

His excitement was dampered a bit when he thought about the whole gay deal. In his sixteen years he had never given it a thought but now a scary idea rose; was he gay? Sure, he checked out guys and had never seen a girl as anything more than a sister, but he was straight. It had been the unquestioned in his life, it was absolute. Guys like girls and girls like guys, that was a fact. He felt a little uncomfortable realizing that was probably the Dursleys rubbing off on him. Growing up, Uncle Vernon had made it pretty clear gay was not an option.

The more he thought about it the worse he felt. What if he _was_ gay? None was starting to take back seat as he contemplated his sexual orientation. Hermione probably knew plenty about the subject; she knew a bit about everything. Ron would probably react badly. He caught his thought strand, _Wait what?_ Harry realized he was thinking like he was gay. He's not gay. It was a downward spiral of negativity thinking about it so he tried to shut it out. Instead he thought about None and their identity. It was a slow process but it did work.

When he climbed the hill he paid the angry tree no mind. Casting a spell, a stick rammed into the knot in it's trunk. The tree froze up like a kitten being held by the neck. His steps made the dry grass crunch a bit as he made his way to the roots. If it rained the vegetation could use it. The air had an electrified feeling to it so he guessed it would. Looking at the murderous black clouds coming from the forest, he knew it would be a big one. As he entered the Shrieking Shack he noticed fresh prints in the dust; None. He drew his wand.

Whispering 'Lumos' under his breath, he moved forward. A beam of light from his wand illuminated his way. The walls were cracked, worn, wood and the floor creaked so much he was cringing ten seconds in. He could never feel comfortable in this hideout. It felt too alien. Down the stairs and to a short hall that opened up into a small room. The room was empty. His breath was suddenly louder as he _felt_ someone move in the shadows. It was like a physical tug on his conscious. _It's getting stronger_.

"None, is that you?" Harry asked.

A light bloomed from the corner of the room revealing a familiar blonde, "You have _got_ to be kidding me," Draco Malfoy said, his expression half resigned, half shocked.

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**A/N **Well I hope you enjoyed it! Their actual confrontation is next chapter. You can expect it next Sunday as promised. I'm glad my chapter got such a great reaction. You people are awesome. Also note that I won't always use the proper names for spells. I don't know them all off the top of my head, but I'll use them to switch things up. You might have noticed how I stuck to "said a spell" , "cast a spell", etc. It lets me be more creative. Just saying this in case it was bothering anybody. (My beta -sister- isn't granting me her Grade 11 Academic knowledge of English literature so pardon any mistakes I make. Her boyfriend is more important. *grumble, grumble*)

**Edit **Thanks to everyone who pointed out my typo. Harry rides a Firebolt, not a Fireball. Although that does give an interesting mental image . . .. Anyways thanks and I'm now triple checking so I don't make anymore silly mistakes. ^-^;

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**Remember to follow, fav, or review to show support. New chapters every Sunday and PM me any questions you have.**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

He nearly dropped his wand. Harry stared at Draco, unwilling to believe what he was seeing. It had to be some sick joke.

"Malfoy," He choked out, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Draco gave him a withering look, "None. I'm None Potter. Nasty surprise for me too, I assure you."

His hopes and dreams of a great and long lasting friendship cracked and shattered to the ground. The shards cut deep, and he wanted to scream. All of the things he had told him. Embarrassing moments, happy moments, things about his childhood. Parts of him were in Malfoy's manipulative hands. Ron's warning came back and he wanted to puke. It was so much more horrible than a Death Eater.

"So everything, it was all you?" He whispered.

"Yeah," Regret flickered in his eyes, "I guess it was."

They stood there in an awkward silence, Harry ready to cry. He was angry too, but mostly he had an overwhelming sadness. It was all wrong in so many ways. Why Draco of all people?

"Stop looking so fucking miserable," Draco said, interrupting his mental cataclysm, "If you promise you never heard anything we can get past this."

"You know too much!" He yelled, stepping forward, "I trusted you! I told you things I even kept from Ron! We were friends!"

"I know, and I'm sorry, I told you things too. Let's just go our separate ways. You can keep the stupid cup. I'll have mine destroyed."

He was being awfully apologetic. His breathing hitched and then slowed. It was vital to look at this in a purely objective way. He had to calm down. If everything Draco was saying was true, then this was all a big mistake. They could go their separate ways. The thought hurt. None had become a big part of his life, he wasn't ready to let him go. It was like getting here was going up an incline on a rollercoaster, meeting him was the drop. Inside he was free falling, desperately searching through memories. What had he told him? What little pieces had he freely given away?

"What the hell?" He laughed, "What the _fucking_ hell?!"

"You can't tell anyone what I told you, I'll end you," Malfoy threatened, "You can't tell anybody!"

"Why fucking not?! You scared your image will crumble? I have nothing to lose. I've been hated before. You'll be tasting a whole new wo-" His words were stopped as Draco rammed him up against the wall.

"Anybody! Anybody and I'll fucking _kill_ you. You've been hated?! Well have you ever been _dead_?" He snarled.

It was sheer instinct as he pulled his fist back and punched him. His weight left him and his feet touched the ground again. Where he had gripped his shoulders hurt. He hadn't realized how strong he was. Draco stumbled back a few steps, touching his cheek in shock. It hadn't been a very powerful hit, but it had been enough to shock him. He could tell it wasn't enough.

"I'll kill you. I swear to God I'll kill you," Draco hissed.

Harry held up his fists like he had seen Dudley do, "Try me."

Their wands both lay forgotten on the ground. Inside his head it was a cascading tumble of dominos. Desperation made Fear, Fear made Anger, Anger was all consuming. A part of him was shaking, another sobbing, but most of him just wanted to rip Malfoy apart. For all those times he hurt him, for everything he could hurt him with, for making him feel so damn helpless. He bared his teeth and beckoned 'Come at me'.

Draco lunged forward, swinging for his head. He could barely block, the force sent him tumbling to his ass. His wrist ached where it had been hit and his cheek hurt slightly less. Groaning he tried to get to his feet, a kick put him back down. He cried out as his ribs throbbed with pain. Who the hell did this as a career?! His pride hurt more than his ribs though so he gritted his teeth and stood back up. Draco let him rise, it just made him angrier. Yelling, he flung himself at him, aiming to smash the side of his head.

When he made contact his hand hurt enough to make him stop the hit. He hadn't been expecting pain, just like Draco hadn't expected his swing. Harry could see it in his eyes, and the rage that rose in turn. It was all going so badly. None was Draco, Draco fucking Malfoy. Anybody was better, but nobody would be the same. A calm part of his mind had realized that. It didn't mean he liked it. It scared the hell out of him.

"This is payback," Draco said, kicking his legs out from under him.

He tumbled to the ground in a painful heap, and the blonde leaned over him, "And this is so I win."

His wand was in his hand again. Panic welled up in Harry, he hadn't been serious had he? Murder was a long way to go even for your image. Malfoy was fucked up, he knew that about him, but he wasn't that fucked up. Panicked, his mind tried to connect the dots. None had said some pretty psychotic things before, and Draco was a typical douche. Both combined would commit murder, maybe even for something as small as their image. Real fear rose inside him.

"You wouldn't do it," He said shakily, "I'm not worth Azkaban to you."

Draco gave him a small smile like he was sharing a joke, "You think I'd kill you? Over my image? I'm not a teenage girl Potter. I'll just practice my Memory Charm. You might forget the right things, or forget everything."

The idea scared him more than dying, but like when he faced Voldemort, he clamped down on the fear and put it to the back of his mind. It was still there like a poison fog, but he was looking through it. Draco was dead serious, but so was he.

He tensed his muscles, preparing to lunge for his wand. A loud clap of thunder shook the room, raining dust on them. Shocked, he sprung backwards and clawed at the floor. His hand closed on his wand, it's warmth sparked through his fingers. Draco aimed at him. coughing, but he was quick to draw too.

"Expelliarmus!" He shrieked over another peal of thunder.

The jet of light hit Draco square in the chest and his wand flew into the air. Not pausing, Harry slammed him aside and raced down the hall and up the stairs. His breath came in gasps as he tore outside.

Rain hit him like needles driving into his skin. It tore into him, falling so heavily he could barely see the village. This was a storm verging on a tornado. Thunder shook the ground again, this time accompanied by a blinding flash of lightning. He saw it strike a tree in the forest that caught fire before the rain put it out. Suddenly Draco wasn't so scary, but he was scary enough to make him run down the slick hill. Twice he fell, hard, on his knees, dirtying his robes with mud. When he finally made it to the village, he ran down the road like a bat out of hell. Barely anybody was outside in the storm.

The Three Broomsticks loomed into sight making him so relieved he had whiplash. He pulled open the doors and stepped in, feeling warmth wash over him in a wave. His clothes were soaked through, he hadn't realized how cold he was. The adrenaline was making him shake. His heart was still beating a mile a minute as he entered the crowd and searched for Ron and Hermione. Near the back, sitting at some tables, he spotted them. He was right on time.

"Harry what the hell happened to you?" Hermione asked, wide eyed with shock when he approached them.

His eye was probably turned black and he knew there'd be bruises on his chest later. Draco hit hard. Grimacing, he sat down.

"I tripped," He lied, wondering if Ron would say "I told you so".

"I'm guessing you and None didn't get along."

"What?!" He stared at her for a second before glaring at Ron. "You told her. I told you I'd do it myself!"

"I said one sentence man! One sentence and she figured it out. What could I do? I'm not going to lie to her!" Ron's eyes pleaded for him to understand.

"He shouldn't have to. Why didn't you tell us Harry? We could have come with and _this_," She gestured at his black eye, "Wouldn't have happened."

"I'm sorry," He sighed, "I'm not speaking with them again anyways. They're Slytherin. You can imagine how it went."

Harry really didn't want to say who it was. It was terrifying how well he and Draco had hit off. In a world with no blood status, Houses, and 'destinies' they probably would have been good friends. His image of Draco was crumbling while he desperately tried to reaffirm it. Asshole, or charmingly sarcastic with family issues? His head was spinning and he just wanted to sleep. Right now he just wanted to go home; get back to the dorm and fall asleep. He really didn't want to deal with any of this right now. It was too fresh.

"Shit, you at least got a hit in right?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, but they weren't hard enough to leave a mark. Fucking shoulda hit them hard enough to knock them out," He ground out, feeling his anger spark again.

Hermione patted his arm, "Don't worry, we can get something to fix the bruise and get past this. You didn't tell them anything important right?"

Something in him froze up again, "'Course not; I'm not an idiot."

Again he was lying, it made him want to slam his stupid head into a wall. Lately it had become too much of a habit. Maybe that stupid hat was right, he should have been put in Slytherin. _With Draco as your new BFF?_ The mean little voice in his head whispered. _No, that could never happen._ Draco was hell bent on erasing his memory anyways. None was just an alias, that wasn't really who he was. _But why lie when he's anonymous?_ The cynical part of him continued, _If anything that was how he really is_.

"No harm done then!" Ron concluded cheerfully, "Well expect your eye but that can be fixed."

He clearly still felt guilty for selling Harry out so he let it slide. Whatever, he had bigger things to stress about. Mainly the fact that he had taken up talking to himself. Seriously, what the hell?! Not to mention Draco knowing way too much about his personal life, and possibly being gay. They were like two nuclear bombs that had been dropped, and he was trying to avoid the blast that would inevitably destroy his peace of mind.

"Thanks, do you guys want to head back?" He asked, "I'm not really in the mood, the stares are annoying."

People normally stared at him but with his new shiner, people looking had nearly tripled. _Take a good look. Ask and I'll say, "You should see the other guy!" then give you one to match. Come on, I dare you_. He thought venomously. Nearby he could see a group of female Ravenclaws pointing and giggling. Great, the entire school would know by the time they got back. If they got back, the storm was pretty bad.

"You really want to go outside? It's pouring," Hermione said, and on cue thunder rumbled the bar.

"These clothes aren't exactly comfortable," He said pulling at his dripping robes, "And it probably won't be letting up till way past curfew."

Ron shook his head, "You're mad. We'll probably be struck by lightning before we get close to the school."

"Come on, I'm not sleeping in soaking clothes at one of Rosmerta's tables." Rosmerta was the owner of The Three Broomsticks. Ron had a bit of a thing for her.

Hermione looked unconvinced so he pressed a bit more, "Please!"

"Fine," She said looking defeated, "But we're running so don't trip and get another injury."

Run they did. All three of them took off in a sprint once they were out of the door. Somehow the storm had managed to get even worse. A few times lightning struck grass near them. Hermione was shaking when they finally got into cover. Ron gave Harry a nasty look before giving her a hug.

"It's okay Hermione. We're fine. You're okay." He murmured, which was a feat considering they were all panting heavily.

He stretched his back and breathed out. His legs were starting to feel rubbery. Being able to move things with your wand really made it easy to slip out of shape. Quidditch was the only thing keeping him from gaining one hundred pounds. That and he had a pretty high metabolism. He didn't do much running though unless Dudley wanted a living punching bag. Tomorrow his legs would be spaghetti. _I don't want tomorrow to come._

Tomorrow he'd have to wake up and face the truth. Right now his flight or fight instinct was being pushed to the limit. It hurt to think about, his chest squeezed like it was in huge metal clamps. Someone was crushing his rib cage. Watching his friends, he managed to calm himself down. It would be okay, everything would be fine. The words sounded like a lie. He missed None and it hadn't even been a day. Now there was just that asshole. No more secret friend. He needed to shut Malfoy up, whatever it took. His already damaged reputation was in his hands.

"I'm sorry 'Mione," He panted, "But we made it."

She glared at him then smiled a bit, "Yeah, we did. I'm glad we're back before curfew at least."

Always about the rules, "I'm going to sleep early. Will you two be okay without me?"

People's faces mixed in with the crowd as he rushed away, not waiting for a reply. His head was aching. Blindly, he stumbled down the halls, turning this way and that way. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and crumpled against a wall. He was lost in a castle that was like his home. Nothing was really registering anymore. Somehow he could hear his own heartbeat. It was loud so he covered his ears. That made no sense.

Blurrily, he opened his eyes and the people crowding around him wobbled in and out of focus. A crystalline noise was ringing in his ears. It rose to an unbearable level and he curled up into a ball, fingers jammed in his ears. Black snakes were tugging on him, he could see their red eyes. Harry rolled and lashed as they dragged him. One of them was a brilliant golden snake. Raising a shaking hand, he touched it's scales. It was warm. The heartbeat grew louder and louder until everything went black. He was floating in the air.

After what seemed like an eternity of flying, he started to regain consciousness. He was warm as though that golden snake had curled around him. Breathing slowly, he snuggled in deeper. Whatever he had been given was wearing off though and he felt rough sheets instead of warm scales. His dream slipped away with every breath he took. He opened his eyes slowly to see a high ceiling and a curtain around him; the infirmary.

"He was hallucinating," He heard a female nearby say.

"To hug Malfoy he must have been completely out of it. Was he that stressed," The voices were coming into focus, that was Ron.

Whatever they had given him hadn't completely worn off because he wasn't alarmed at all. Even though the golden snake was gone, he still felt pleasantly floaty. The idea of hugging Draco just made him wonder if he was as warm as the golden snake. His eyes were cold silver coins, so probably not. Silver like the warm snake's eyes.

"I can't believe Malfoy didn't toss him away. For a second he looked _concerned_." Hermione whispered.

"Yeah, I'll believe that a broom can fly to the moon," Ron snorted.

"I just hope Harry will be okay. To have a panic attack on that meeting None. Maybe it went worse than we thought."

"You think? Fucking hell, I've never seen him fall apart so badly. I mean he's faced You Know Who."

"Even the strongest people can break." Her voice drifted through his mind and echoed as he slipped back into sleep.

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**A/N** This is early! But I figured everyone will be busy on Sunday. So I hope you enjoy and have a great Thanksgiving. The US has it early though? I don't know, I'm Canadian. Anyways I hope you have or had, a great Thanksgiving!

**Edit**Americans apparently have Thanksgiving a month after I/we do. So my life has been a lie. O.Q On the bright side it saves me the trouble of wishing my American PSN friends an early Happy Thanksgiving. I'm just glad we all have Christmas on the same day. There's another tradition (Hiatus?) but I rather not get technical. ^^;

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**Remember to follow, fav, or review to show support. New chapters every Sunday and PM me any questions you have.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** A quick note: Mental conversations in memories are in regular text while actual actions are in italics.

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

Well I cried. My father just gave me a disappointed look, like it was my fault. _None paused, _You can't tell anyone I cried okay? I have a reputation to uphold.

_Harry continued to write. His mind was completely occupied so his hands were on autopilot. _I won't tell anyone. I told you about that time I walked in on my aunt and uncle and threw up on them. I have no place to talk.

Two old bats going at it is actually scary though. _He pointed out._

You were three though and saw a Dementor. Your dad is a dick to have brought you to Azkaban anyways. Even if its to visit your uncle. I passed out once when they visited Hogwarts.

What are you? A little girl? _None teased, his voice returning to normal._

So much for a non judgment conversation.

Can't be serious all of the time, you'll get wrinkles.

Are _you_ a little girl? Who gives a shit about wrinkles?

Are you judging me for being vain? What happened to no judgment?

_He checked the time; it was almost midnight, _You got rid of it. I'm not going to get my homework done tonight. Want to play chess?

You know you'll lose.

I can dream can't I?

Harry rolled over and fell out of bed. It was enough of a shock to wake him up completely. He'd been dreaming about _him_. Frustrated, he picked himself off the floor. He was still in the infirmary. Hands were grabbing at him and putting him back on the bed. It irritated him even more. The irrational anger would probably get him in trouble. He couldn't care less.

"I'm fine!" He snarled, pushing them away.

"You don't look fine," Ron said, "What the fuck man?"

Oh, it was him, "Sorry," Harry rubbed his face in annoyance, "I just got a bit stressed yesterday."

"I'd say," He said, sitting back down in the chair by his bed, "You want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Good," He yawned, "I'm not good at this whole emotions thing, Hermione is for that. Seriously though, are you gonna be okay?"

He thought about it for a second, "I have to take care of a few things, but after that I'd say yes."

Right now he needed to talk with Draco again. No fists this time. He had to make sure he wouldn't go blabbing to people. His rational brain was taking over, he was going through the motions. It still didn't feel real but he accepted it as reality. It wasn't his style to be in denial. His entire life he'd been dealing with shit, this was just another day. If it meant dealing with his nemesis, so be it.

"Who is None?" Ron asked.

"I can't say. I'm trying to convince them to keep this entire thing secret."

That made him laugh, "They're a Slytherin, Harry. How is that going to work?"

"I'll figure it out," He said, "What time is it?"

"Noon. Hermione and I are taking shifts on watching you. I'm supposed to go get her the second you're up."

"I need to go find None," He muttered.

"That didn't really work out last time," Ron pointed out dryly.

"Well this time it will," He got out of bed again, more gracefully this time.

"At least put some clothes on."

Startled, he looked down and saw he was in plain white jammies. They were soft and light enough to make him think he wasn't wearing clothes at all. It probably _would_ be weird to go tromping around in them. For a second his rebel streak wanted to do it anyway but he ignored the urge. Getting Draco to meet up with him would be hard enough without looking like a mental hospital escapee. He was okay now, he wouldn't go falling around like a little baby. _Be smart, you're fine._

"Yeah, can you go grab some for me?" He asked.

"No problem," Ron said, "I'll tell Hermione you're okay when I'm gone."

"Tell her I'm sorry about last night," It suddenly occurred to him how much of dick he was to make her go out in the storm, "I was messed up. I'm really sorry."

Ron nodded and then he left the room. Harry sat back down on his cot, the infirmary was empty so he could have a few seconds to collect his thoughts. Hopefully Hermione would forgive him. He stared down at his hands. His ring finger was a bit crooked from when Dudley broke it. For a wild moment he wondered if his hand lines predicted his impending doom of facing off against Voldemort. It was actually amusing wondering what a Muggle fortune teller would make of him. The non magic community saw him as a regular boy, not someone who survived the Killing Curse. _Yet you're having a mental break over Draco knowing too much about you._

He was probably overreacting. It was just hard to put the puzzle together. None had been really funny but also self loathing. His father had raised him to believe he was and always would be a failure. Living like that would be numbing. Maybe that's why None was so sarcastic. He really had a "I don't give a fuck" personality. Too witty to be a Slytherin. Or at least Harry thought that at the time.

So what's your favorite House? _Harry asked, staring out the window at the starry sky._

I kind of like the Gryffindors. "Maybe you belong in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart. Their daring, nerve, and chivalry, set Gryffindors apart." That's only if I had to have a House other than my own. I like my House a lot, my entire family's been in it. _None said._

_He touched the glass. It was cool from the night air and the full moon was high in the sky. Stars were sprinkled across the night sky like gems. Their sparkling light reflected in his eyes as he played with the thought._

Yeah, being Gryffindor would be great. Ravenclaw is alright too; I'd like to be wise. I make too many stupid mistakes.

_None's presence pressed harder on his mind. _Want to elaborate?

Have you looked outside?

_There was a short pause. He readjusted his seating in the window; his back was getting stiff._ Yeah.

I like the moon. _He concentrated on the scene._

_None's appreciation flushed across, _That's beautiful. Even if you are ignoring my question.

I just want to be wise. Wouldn't it be great to know all of the answers?

That would be convenient . . .. Have you ever felt sad before?

Yeah, a lot. _He whispered it softly, mentally and out loud. _I've had so many expectations shoved on me. People think I'll do something great and I can't help but feel like one guy in way over his head.

We all are at the end of the day. I find that painting is a good outlet. Tonight I'll paint the sky you saw.

_Harry smiled slightly. _Really? I bet it'll be amazing. You've never shown me any of your art.

Don't take it personally. I get a bit overprotective, it's not really a skill my father thinks I need. If he found my stash he'd probably burn it.

"Harry, you okay?" Ron was shaking him.

He stared up at him slowly, his eyes burning. Only now, he realized he'd been staring at the wall for a solid ten minutes without blinking. When he did, it felt like sand was under his eyelids. It was painful at first but then faded to discomfort.

"Yeah," He took the clothes from him, "Where's Hermione?"

"She's cramming for the exams. I think she's still a bit annoyed with you."

It stung so he didn't reply as he pulled off his pajamas. Someone must have given him a shower while he was out judging from the foreign boxers he was wearing and scent of lemons. As he pulled on his white button up shirt he paused.

"Do you think she'll stay mad?"

"No."

A bit relieved, he continued to get dressed. Next came the pants and red and gold tie. The uniform had changed this year. When he slipped into his robes he immediately checked his pockets. The goblet was there. He glanced at Ron before pulling it out. His friend didn't seem surprised to see it.

"So that's how you communicate with them?"

He took a sip, "Yeah, the stuff tastes like water though."

Ron opened his mouth to say something but he held up his hand. If this worked, he could expect fifty insults upon greeting. At first he felt nothing but then the link took hold.

_Potter._ His Voice was short and clipped.

_Hey Malfoy. _He was equally cold, his ribs still hurt. _We need to talk in person._

_Why?_

_You fucking know why._

_Perfect's washroom, ten minutes. Come alone or I'll jinx you the second you step inside._

_How do I know you won't even if I do?_

His voice went from cold to frigid. _Did you tell anyone?_

_Of course not. Did you?_

_No. Ten minutes Potter._

The connection cut abruptly like someone was slapping him in the face. He didn't like it at all. Why did he have to be such a bitch about it? How the hell he'd been friends with him was beyond him.

"I have to go," He focused on Ron, "Swear you won't follow?"

For a second he looked tempted but still said, "I swear."

Harry left the room and went down the hall glancing behind him all the way. As far as he could see, Ron had kept his word. People parted for him like he was a disease. The whispers bounced around him. Freak was used a lot. Inside he winced a bit each time but people had treated him worse. When he reached the washroom he saw Draco leaning against the wall. There was a scarily calm expression on his face. The hallway was pretty much empty.

"Inside, now. Wight Cherry," He added to the door.

It swung inward smoothly revealing an empty washroom. He'd almost forgotten Draco was a Perfect. The room was big, all polished marble. The window with the fluttery mermaid was still there and she seemed to be giving Draco a lot of attention. He noticed too and walked with a bit of a strut. Harry snickered under his breath, gaining a sour look.

"So what do you want _Potter?_"

"Do you have to be a dick?" He burst out, that wasn't exactly what he'd wanted to say.

"What, are you saying you want to be _friends_?" He strung out the word in a whiny voice and waved his hands.

"Why are you so impossible?!"

Draco pulled out his goblet, "Did you know these things can't be destroyed? I got an owl from my Father saying so."

He threw up his hands and started pacing, "Great! Fucking peachy!"

For a couple seconds Draco watched him in silence. He could feel his eyes on him. They were boring holes through his back when he turned away. The feeling bothered him to no end. Why didn't he just look somewhere else? Usually Malfoy's stares were angry or hateful, this was cold and calculating. Like he had everything to lose. Which, considering what he knew about his family's illegal dealings, he did.

"I have an idea," Draco said softly after roughly five minutes of his angry pacing.

He stopped and faced him, "Okay. What is it?"

"I'm willing to get my friends to stop bothering you. We'll stay away from Weasley and Granger. Y-"

"Hagrid," Harry interrupted, "Him too. Stop making his lessons miserable."

He looked annoyed at being cut across, "Fine, the giant too. Anywa-"

"Hagrid."

"Fine! _Hagrid_ gets a free pass too," His expression turned sour, "In return, you have to keep this _completely_ secret. No telling the Weasel or Mudblood."

"Don't use that fucking word!" Harry drew his wand and aimed it at his chest.

"Granger then. Now put the fucking wand away before I blast it out of your hand."

It was tempting, but he put it away, "Are we done here now?"

"Yeah."

The rest of the day he spent enjoying the new freedom. Draco really had kept his word and most Slytherins had kept to glares and angry whispers. Hermione and Ron couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. He told them everything had been dealt with. It was true and there seemed to be no strings attached. That's why he felt uneasy. Draco wasn't the type to make such a sweet deal unless he really wanted to hide something.

Everything seemed to be going fine until two days later. He had gone to sleep like normal that night. At first he dreamt of light and normal things. Most of his dreams took place high in the sky playing Quidditch. The crowd roared and cheered as he got the snitch time after time after time. He was invincible; it was amazing. As he did another spectacular game changer, he started to feel sick. The screaming had become more frantic and took on an unearthly tone.

With painful abruptness, the dream changed. This time he was sitting in what he knew to be his parents' house. From the other room he could hear laughter. _Mom!_ He yelled. The laughter cut off and he heard a sick crunching noise. Something was twisting in his gut as he ran through the door that appeared. His mother was there on the floor, writhing. Two long gashes in her neck gushed blood and a fat red snake slithered towards him. He tried to stumble away but started heaving. His mom's twitching body swam in and out of focus. He was crying.

The dream snapped out and he was awake. He still felt sick, he hadn't had a nightmare like that in a while. When he was a kid they were more common. By instinct, he rolled over and grabbed the goblet that had appeared there. He had already drank some before realizing what he was doing. None couldn't comfort him anymore. Talking to Draco was actually what had stopped his nightmares. Quietly, he placed the cup back down. He could only wait. Malfoy would probably be pissed at being woken up.

_What do you want? _Draco asked, sounding sleepy.

_Ah, nothing. I'm fine. I was half asleep when I drank some._ His Voice was raw and shaky. It wouldn't fool anybody.

_A nightmare?_ His voice wasn't as harsh this time. Part of him wondered if he might actually care.

_Yeah._

_Take a deep breath and think about something happy. Remember when you blew up your aunt?_

He giggled hysterically. _I remember that. Uncle Vernon was angry. Or when I first met Ron and Hermione. I thought she was a bossy know it all. _

_Isn't she a bossy know it all?_

_Nope, she's actually really great. If you weren't such a butt, you might have liked her._

_Maybe. Remember when _we_ first met?_

_Yeah. You were being obnoxious like usual and wanted me to be your cronie._

_Actually we first met in that clothing store. I was the first student wizard you ever met._

He mulled that over. _It sounds way too Fate like huh? Two students sworn to be enemies._

_Do enemies help each other through traumatic nightmares?_

_No, you suck at being an enemy. Shouldn't you be insulting me and my mother? _It was nostalgic talking to him like this. Casually, even if it was insanity. Already he could feel his pulse slowing down. Whatever it was about talking to him, it calmed him down. Harry closed his eyes and relaxed into his pillows.

_Too tired._ Draco said. _You know we don't have to be enemies. _

_I thought you hated me._

_I hate your title. Chosen Boy and all that fanfare. Clearly what I knew about you was all wrong though._

_Were you jealous?_

He didn't give that an answer. _We managed to be friends when we didn't know each other's identities._

_You're mean though. _His Voice lowered and his sadness projected through. _You hurt my friends and I for no reason. How can I just forgive that?_

_I don't know. Fuck. Have you calmed down yet?_

_I think so._

_Its late. Get some sleep._

He rolled over, and snuggled in deeper. His heart had calmed down completely and he was genuinely tired now. The connection was getting thinner and he knew they didn't have much time left anyways.

_We could try it. _Harry said.

_Try what?_

_Being real life friends._

Draco laughed then. _You know how crazy that sounds? A Gryffindor and Slytherin being friends._

_We did it before._

_Yeah, I guess so. If you keep it a secret we could try._

_Why a secret?_ He asked.

_My dad would murder me if he knew._

_I'm not your boyfriend. Why should he care about who you hang out with?_

_Its a rich family thing._

_Oh. _He yawned. _Goodnight Draco._

'_Night Harry._

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**A/N **This might seem a bit fast paced but it'll get a bit slower from here on out. They need to develop their relationship and all of that lovely stuff. Tell me what you think of the developments and stay tuned for more. ^w^

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**Remember to follow, fav, or review to show support. New chapters every Sunday and PM me any questions you have.**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

His eyes flew open. It was at the crack of dawn, he could see the blue sky that preceded a brilliant orange one. For the first time in days, he was feeling fully awake. The air in his lungs felt invigorating, everything was brighter and more colorful. Ron's red hair looked like a flame, his golden hangings were detailed down the the loose threads. Draco didn't hate him anymore. Even the nightmare hadn't left a bad aftertaste. He was actually grateful for it.

Somehow his image of None and Draco had finally merged. He saw him as Draco and only Draco. It made it hard to hate him. There would be a lot of difficulties but he was willing to try. They could put their differences away. It was relieving in a way. His experience at Hogwarts had always been affected by Draco's bad attitude.

The floor was cold as he stood up. He stretched and twisted his arms to relieve the stiffness left over from sleeping. Today he was tired but wide awake at the same time. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and started rummaging through his trunk. It was Dress For Comfort Day because it was a Wednesday. Out of the depths he pulled a striped white and grey short sleeved shirt and blue jeans. They actually fit him because he had bought some new clothes with the fortune his parents left him. He must have made too much noise; his friend started to stir.

"W'z time is it?" Ron mumbled, rolling over to open a sleepy eye at him.

"Six, I think." He whispered, getting into his robes.

The redhead groaned, "We still have an hour. Go back to sleep."

He sat down on his bed, "I can't sleep. Want to play chess?"

"What's with you and chess? Are you trying to get your skills up or something?"

"Maybe."

He watched as he got up and found some clothes. They were both silent as he started undressing. Harry watched and was struck by an odd thought; he had a nice body. His abs weren't chiseled or anything, but he was thin and strong looking. No freckles covered his chest or stomach. He looked up at his face to see Ron giving him a curious glance.

"What? Is there something on me?" He asked, pulling a shirt over his messy mop of ginger hair.

A blush crawled over his cheeks, "Nah."

He grunted, seemingly unknowing, and finished getting dressed. Harry got to his feet and they headed down to the Common Room. Nobody was up yet. The chess set was where he'd left it last and he assembled his troops while Ron got his battered, but strong pieces.

"Have you finished your Potions essay?" Harry asked, moving a pawn forward.

"Snape is fucking mad to have assigned that," He grumbled.

"He hates us, of course he'll assign as much as he can. Did you see how he let Draco off?"

A strange expression crossed his face, "Since when do you call him Draco?"

Crap, "I- uh," He stumbled over his words watching the connections being made.

Ron stared at the board, "Take his pawn."

One of his own pawns marched forward bravely and murdered Harry's pawn. Their yells bounced around the Common Room. The wounded soldier limped off to the side of the board. He was reminded of when they played Wizard Chess in their first year. Those stakes had been so high. Right now they were just as high.

"When did you plan to tell me None is Draco?" He asked, deathly quiet.

"What could I say? We had been talking for a month and got along fine." He met his eyes.

"You hate him. We hate him. Does all those times he insulted us just go up in smoke? Can you forgive him just like that?"

"I'm trying okay!" Another one of his pawns were slain, "He'll spread my personal life around. It's not all bad, I've got him to keep his friends off our backs."

"Can't you see what he's doing?" Ron asked, "It's all bullshit, something is going to blow up in your face!"

Unbidden, the memory surfaced. He really didn't want Ron to know but if Draco Malfoy did, why not him too? He took a deep breath and tried to keep calm. How was he going to phrase it without sounding like an idiot? On the way to the Shrieking Shack he'd exchanged a short conversation with None. He voiced his worry about what Seamus had said.

"I told him I was gay," He watched Ron's expression morph into shock, "What the hell can I do other than befriend him?"

He looked winded at the information, "Gay? So you like guys?"

"Yeah," Harry said, claiming his knight.

"Fuck, and the first person to find out was Malfoy . . . I'm sorry."

"You're not disgusted?" He asked, disbelieving.

"'Course not, you're my best friend. Not like I never saw you checking me out," He joked, but turned sober quickly, "Sorry, I don't really know how to do this."

"Its better than running away screaming," He sighed, "I'm just trying to keep this from getting out. I'm not ready to come out of the closet you know? I don't even know if I'm really gay."

It was probably best not to mention he was seriously considering being friends. Part of it was to keep him quiet, part was that Draco made him feel calmer. At least when he wasn't making him extremely violent. If they could just remain peaceful there'd be no problem.

"So now you have to be buddy buddy with Malfoy? Shit." He moved his queen forward, "Checkmate."

"The fuck?" He stared at the board, "Okay that was bullshit. You moved when I wasn't looking."

"Nah, you just weren't paying attention."

The pressure on his chest had let up. The fear of losing his best friend had finally left him. He was going to try with Draco to keep him quiet. Ron was right; he couldn't just forgive him. It would take time and he wasn't sure he could ever really be friends with him. None was just a face of Draco Malfoy. Right here was true friendship.

He grinned, "Thanks."

"Why?"

"For not ditching me. I just wasn't sure how you'd react. I'm sorry for not telling you."

Ron swept up his chess pieces, "I can't blame you. Maybe we could do a memory charm?"

"Can you do a memory charm even?"

"No, but . . . well Hermione can probably."

As if on cue, she entered the room looking rather pink. _She heard._ He tried to swallow his nerves. This probably wouldn't go too badly. She wasn't biased was she? His mind quickly filed through memories trying to recall anytime she may have appeared anti gay. Nothing came to mind.

"I-I didn't mean to overhear," She stuttered, "But is that true Harry?"

He got up and grabbed the chessboard, "Yeah."

"So you're befriending Malfoy to keep him quiet," She murmured, "That explains a lot."

"Well you can bet he's doing the same."

For the next few weeks he and Draco kept up a steady stream of conversation. They talked about school and courses. Harry tried once, in vain, to explain to him how he was an asshole. That mixed with Quidditch and homework made for busy days. He constantly found himself staying up very late to finish homework or talk with Draco. Their first game was rapidly approaching and he'd be versing Slytherin. The thought of competing with Draco on a broom made him torn between annoyance and interest. He always enjoyed mopping the floor with him, friends or not.

The teachers had the same spirit as Hermione and bombarded them with loads of homework. Transfiguration was a nightmare. Professor McGonagall was cracking down hard enough to make even Hermione sweat a little. Potions was the usual only Snape had an excuse to assign essays nearly every three days. Neville had been reduced to tears several times. If preparing for OWLs were this hard, he didn't even want to _think_ about NEWTs. Divination was their only easy period because as long as they saw death omens every day they'd pass with fantastic marks. With all the work they were doing, he didn't have time to actually meet up with Draco.

One Sunday afternoon, Hedwig brought Harry, Hermione, and Ron some relieving news. Hagrid had invited them for tea in his cabin. Eager to see their friend, he replied in agreement and sent Hedwig off. He watched her white figure disappear across the grounds. He turned back to his game of Exploding Snap.

"We haven't seen him in a while huh?" Ron said, completely absorbed with making his castle.

"Well I've been busy with exams. It'll be good to see him though." Hermione said.

"Yeah." Harry finished his fourth floor, "I'm winning."

It would have been true if the whole thing hadn't exploded in his face. Ron roared with laughter as he straightened his glasses and wiped ash off his face. The noise had startled some nearby first years. Fred and George came over to investigate.

They were both tall but were bigger than Ron. Like every Weasley they had flaming red hair. Their eyes were brown like dark chocolate and they had identical grins.

"Exploding things again?" Fred asked.

"You should help us with testing the products. The Fainting Fancies are almost completely functional," George added.

Weasley Wizard Wheezes was a line of candy they made to get you out of class. Last year Harry had given them his Triwizard winnings which got them started on their way to making it a full time joke shop. Right now they paid students to test out their products. Hermione, being the Perfect she was, didn't approve, but Harry wouldn't say no to Puking Pastilles for Potions.

"You really shouldn't be making those," Hermione said crossly.

"Brilliant if you ask me. Does anything actually work yet?" Ron asked, interested.

One of the twins grinned, "Well Puking Pastilles are a work in progress but Fainting Fancies can put you out for a good hour or so. Not really market ready." He pulled a purple sweet out of his pocket, "Give it a try."

Used to being tricked, Ron gave it a sour glance, "I'll pass."

"Hey George! Fred! You won't believe what I just found!" Lee Jordan yelled, entering the room in a run.

The twins took off with him leaving the three to their own devices. Harry yawned and relaxed in the chair. It was a lazy day today. He rubbed his face with his hand and froze. The tattoo had changed. It _grew_. Inky black flames had extended from the phoenix's tail. They curled up his hand and reached his wrist. Fascinated, he watched the light slightly shimmer on the black. What the hell was it?

"Hermione, Ron, check this out." He said, sitting forward.

Ron just looked confused but Hermione paled.

"Oh my- Harry!' She grabbed his hand and stared at it, muttering, "No, no, no, no!"

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" He asked.

"There's only one type of Curse Mark that grows," She dived back to her bag and started rooting through it.

Harry shared a look with Ron. The entire time they'd gone through the book nothing had spoken about Growing Marks. He looked at the marks on his wrist, curious of their meaning. Originally he assumed they had something to do with the cup. He stood by that thought.

"Come on Hermione, what is it?" Ron asked, leaning over her shoulder.

She held up the book, "Growing Marks are a form of Death Mark. Once they cover your body entirely it'll kill you."

He grabbed it and started reading. _Death Marks come in many different forms. The most popular is Growing. The afflicted usually has under a year to live and the counter curse is complex even for the best. _He dropped the book feeling cold. Was Draco trying to kill him? Excuses and reasons chased each other around in his head as he picked the book back up and handed it to Hermione. She looked as scared as he felt. His face was set in a mask he could feel ready to break.

"Is that asshole trying to kill you?" Ron's ears were starting to turn red.

"This curse is a side effect of potion abuse."

They both stared at her, "You're kidding."

"Everything is good in moderation. That potion you're using to speak with," She glanced around and lowered her voice, "with Malfoy, how often do you use it?"

"Once or twice a day."

"You need to stop using it."

Shaken, he laughed, "No problem with that. Will this go away if I lay off?"

"It should," That wasn't a guarantee but it was enough.

Ron's castle exploded in the following silence.

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**A/N **HALLOWEEN IS COMING UP AND I'M TOTALLY PSYCHED! I GOT INVITED TO LIKE 2 PARTIES WHICH IS BIG FOR A LOSER LIKE ME. Seriously though I hope you guys have a great time. Jack your younger siblings' candy and all that lovely stuff.

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**Drop me a review. Even if it's saying what you're doing this Halloween. Get them details out. We should be buddies.**


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